RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – North Carolina residents are rushing out to secure weapons permits and buy guns in the wake of the shootings at a Connecticut elementary school.

A gun shop owner in Youngsville in Wake County said many people have come into his store to purchase semiautomatic rifles, in part because they’re worried that possible government regulations will ban them.

Aaron Byrd of Patriot Shooting Sports said he had a dozen AR-15s in stock before they were snapped up in about a day and a half.

Julia Rush of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office said they usually see about 50 applications a day. Between last Saturday and Monday, the office received 290 applications.

Rush attributed the increase to the school shootings, but also due to fear over a possible ban on assault weapons.

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It started with a tweet after the horrific shooting in Connecticut. NBC's Ann Curry asked everyone on Twitter to do 26 random acts of kindness in honor of the 26 people who died at Sandy Hook Elementary school.